Sectional shelving



May 25, 1943. H. c. PERRY 2,319,877

SECTIONAL SHELVING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 23, 1942 May 235, 1942-3. H. c. PERRY SECTIONAL SHBLVING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 23, 1942 Patented May 25, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SECTIONAL SHEINING Ha'dwen 0. Perry, Hyde Park, Mass.

Application November 23, 1942, Serial No. 466,57

6 Claims. ((31. 211-148) This invention relates to sectional shelving particularly designed for use in stores, stockrooms and oflices.

It is the general object of my invention to provide sectional shelving of an improved construction and in which the use of metal is almost removably securing the shelves in place, and I 1 provide an improved and easily removable front piece for bins or other compartments which may be formed between the shelves.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partial front elevation of my improved sectional shelving;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional side elevation, taken along the line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of one of the upright members;

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view of one of the shelves;

Fig. 5 is a similar View of a different type of shelf;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional plan view, taken along the line 6--6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional front elevation, taken along the line in Fig. 6; I

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a locking'key to be described;

Fig. 9 is a partial front elevation, illustrating the manner of inserting a front piece in one of the bins or compartments; v

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one end of the front piece, looking substantially in the direction of the arrow ID in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a partial perspective view of a back panel.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, one unit or section of my improved shelving comprises uprights and 2|, a bottom plate 22 and a top plate 23. The bottom plate 22 is transversely grooved at 25 to receive the lower end of the outer upright 20 and the top plate is similarly transversely grooved at 26 and 21 to receive the upper ends 55 groove, or passage.

of the uprights 20 and 2|. Screws 28 or other suitable fastening means may be provided to hold the parts 20, 2|, 22 and 23 in assembled relation.

The uprights 20 and 2| are transversely grooved, as indicated at 30, to loosely receive shelves 3| or 32. The shelves 32 (Figs. 1 and 5) are plain shelves and are used where the space or compartment above the shelf is not to be subdivided.

The shelves 3-| are of greater thickness and are provided with transverse grooves 33 (Figs. 1 and 4) in their upper surfaces and with transverse grooves 34 of greater'depth in their lower surfaces. The top platey23 may be similarly provided with transverse grooves 35 corresponding in position to the grooves 33. Any desired number of removable partitions 31 may be loosely inserted in selected pairs of grooves 33 and 35 to subdivide the compartment above a shelf 3|.

In order toprevent forward displacement of the shelves 3| and 32, I provide the end upright 20 with a vertical groove 40 (Figs. 2 and 3) spaced slightly rearwardly from the front edge of the upright, and I provide eachshelf 3| or 32 with a vertical groove 4| (Figs. 4 and 5) at each end and correspondingly located, so that the grooves 40 and 4| jointly provide a continuous vertical Similar grooves 40 are provided at each side of the intermediate uprights 2 After the shelves have been inserted in the transverse grooves 30 between a pair of uprights, a pair of keys 44 (Figs. 7 and 8) are inserted in the associated vertical grooves 40; and 4| and are held in verticalposition by engagement of a lug or projection 45 at the upper end of each key with the upper surface of the'shelf. After these keys are inserted, the shelf is securely held from forward displacement and cannot be taken out until the keys have been previously removed.

The base plate 22 has a groove (Fig. 2) in its upper surface and near its back edge, and the top plate 23 has a similar groove 5| in its lower surface. The end and intermediate uprights have corresponding vertical grooves 52 which complete a rectangular recess which loosely receives a back panel 55 as the parts are assembled.

If it is desired to partially close the front end of one or more compartments, I preferably provide a front piece in the form shown in Figs. 9 and 10. At each end, the front piece 60 is reduced in thickness, as indicated at 6|, to fit loosely in the vertical grooves 40. These reduced spacing.

end portions 6! are notched as shown at 62 and 63 (Fig. 9) to clear the upper end of the keys 44.

The two end surfaces 65 of the body part of front piece 60 and the two end surfaces 66 of the projecting end portions 6| are all disposed in parallel planes and are inclined at a relatively small angle to the vertical, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The included length of the front piece between the upper left-hand corner of the body part and the lower. right-hand corner thereof is very slightly less than the distance between the uprights 20 and 2!.

When the front piece 60 is in the position which extend into the vertical grooves. When I it is desired to remove one of the front pieces,

this is easily done as indicatedin Fig. 9."

For such removal, the left-hand end of the front piece 60 is lifted a short distance, so that the left end portion 6! is clear of they upright 20, af ter which the. front piece may be swung forward and completely removed. The front piece may obviously be inserted with equal convenience by reversing the outlined procedure. I am thus able to insert or remove a front piece inany compartment and with the upper and lower surfaces of the compartment at a minimum The manner of securing adjacent sections together is clearly shown in Fig. 1, where it will be seen that the bottom plate 22 has a reduced end portion 10 extending beyond the upright 2|, andthat the adjacent bottom plate 22 has a reduced upper end portion H which extendsonly extended and reduced in thickness as indicated at 16. Screws'l'l may be inserteddownwardly through theparts lfi and and into the upper endof the upright 2|, thus firmly securing the adjacent sections together. v I

, l With the construction shown. and described, sectional shelving of any desired width may be readily built up by assembling adjacent sections as previously described. Compartmentsof any desired height may be provided by inserting the shelves 3| or 32 in selected transverse grooves tom plates, spaced uprights, means to secure said plates and uprights together, shelves removably mounted between said uprights, said plates being transversely grooved to receive said uprights and said uprights being transversely grooved to receive said shelves, said shelves and uprights having coacting recesses which are aligned when said shelves are in operative position, and removable locking devices insertable in said coacting recesses to prevent displacement of said shelves.

' 2. Sectional shelving comprising top and bottom plates, spaced uprights, means to secure said plates and uprights together, shelves removably ceive'said shelves and said uprights and shelves being additionally grooved to jointly provide con- 30. Where it is desiredto;subd ivide the compartments, grooved'shelves'i'll will be used, so that one or more partitions 3lmay be inserted where desired. If it is desired to partially close certain compartments at the front end, front pieces 60 may be conveniently and easily placed "in position. I 'It will thus appear that convenient sectional shelving has been provided, which is readily adapted to any desired purposes and in which no metal is used other than a few fastening screws or nails. All other parts of the shelving may be of wood or fibre or other suitable nonmetallic sheet material. 7

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to thedetails herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is; .1. Sectional shelving comprising top and bottinuous vertical grooves spaced from the front edges of said parts, and locking keys insertable in said vertical grooves to removably secure said shelves in place. r

3. Sectional shelving comprising top and bottom plates, spaced uprights, means to secure said plates and uprights together, shelves removably mounted between said uprights, said uprights and shelves being grooved to jointly provide continuous vertical grooves spaced from the front edges of said parts, and locking keys having projections formed at their upper ends, said keys being insertable in said vertical grooves to secure said shelves, and said projections overlying the associated shelves.

4. Shelving having compartments formed of horizontal elements retained between spaced uprights, said uprights having vertical grooves near their front edgesfa front piece for a compartment having a body portion and having end portions of reduced thickness for. insertion in said grooves, and all. end faces of said body portion and end portions which engage abutting surfaces of said uprights being parallel and inclined to the vertical, whereby said front piece may be lifted at one end to remove said front piece'from its compartment.

5. Sectional shelving comprising top and bottim plates, spaced uprights, means to secure said plates and uprights together, and means to mount spaced shelves between said uprights, one end portion of the. bottom plate in one section being extended and reduced in thickness beyond one of the uprights and the end portion of the bottom plate of the next adjacent section being shortened and oppositely reduced in thickness to abut said upright and overlap said first reduced end portion,.and fastening means downwardly insertable to secure said overlapping end portions together.

6. Sectional shelving comprising top and bot tom plates, spaced uprights, means to secure said plates and uprights together, and means to mount'spaced shelves between said-uprights, one end portion of the top plate being grooved transversely to receive the upper end of the'associated upright and being reduced in thicknessabove the associated upright, and the adjacent end portion of the top plate of the next adjacent section being oppositely reduced in thickness and overlapping said first reduced end portion, and fastening means downwardly insertable to hold said overlapping end portions together and also extending downward into the associated upright to secure both top plates to said upright.

. Q I HADWEN C. PERRY. 

